1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey, friend, Heather Creekmorehir, I'm so glad you 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: are part of this Waiting for Weight Loss series with us. 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Today we are tackling a big topic that I think 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: is confusing to a lot of people. What's the difference 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: between body issues and body image issues? And Hey, we're 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: having great conversations about all of these topics in our 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: community Waiting for Weight Loss dot com. If you haven't 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: joined us yet, I hope you'll join us there. So 9 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: today body issues versus body image issues. Remember a few 10 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: episodes ago when I told you I became a fitness instructor. Well, 11 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: I actually taught in gyms from age thirty to about 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: age forty five, fifteen years in gyms, teaching group classes, 13 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: getting to know women who were all trying to meet 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: health goals. There's one thing I noticed, Oh okay, in 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: fifteen years in the gym, I only ever saw one 16 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: woman radically change her body. One that's not all at 17 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: the same gym. That was working in several gyms. I 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: worked on the East Coast, I worked in California, I 19 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 1: worked in Texas, different cities. Sure, I saw some women 20 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: lose a few pounds. I saw some get stronger, firm 21 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: things up, build some endurance, but a dramatic before and 22 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: after picture. I only remember one woman who did that, 23 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: and candidly she couldn't maintain it. She got there in 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: an extreme way, and within a year of meeting her goal, 25 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: she was rapidly gaining it all back. I don't say 26 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: that to discourage you, Okay, please do not be discouraged 27 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,839 Speaker 1: by that. Like I've said before, there's nothing bad about 28 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: having a goal to improve your health and lose weight. 29 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: But I think the reality is most of us have 30 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: believed that our real problem is with our bodies. Our 31 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: real problem will go away when I drop the pounds 32 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: and the parts. The real problem is fixable through eating 33 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: the right things, not eating the wrong things, exercising the 34 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: right way. But what if the real problem is with 35 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: our body image, not with our bodies. Like body image 36 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: has only been a buzzword for I don't know, maybe 37 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: ten years or so, most of us, especially if you're 38 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: over age forty, might not even feel connected to that term. 39 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: It seems like the problem is my body, not anything else. 40 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: Now here's an Internet definition of what body image issues are. 41 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: I'll read it for you. Body image is the subjective 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: internal perception of one's own physical self, encompassing our thoughts, beliefs, feelings, 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: and behaviors regarding size, shape, and appearance. It exists on 44 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: a spectrum from positive to negative and is heavily influenced 45 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: by social, cultural, and media messages. A healthy body image 46 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: involves acceptance and respect for one's body, while a negative 47 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: one can cause distress, social withdrawal, and eating disorders. Friend, 48 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: I would have never told you that I had body 49 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: image issues, although that definition perfectly applied. I was sure 50 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: I just had body issues, But now I know it 51 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: was actually the problem of what I thought and believed 52 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: about my body, not my body, that was the problem. 53 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: And the good news is that takes some pressure off. 54 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: If I can recognize that the problem isn't really about 55 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: my physical body, that it's about my body image, then 56 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: I can fix it before I meet my weight loss goal, 57 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: like I can start working to heal that right now 58 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: where I'm at today. The hard news is, though most 59 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: of us don't really want to believe that it's body image, 60 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: not body like, most of us would rather actually have 61 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: something tangible to fix, tangible to do. I want to 62 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: see a difference in the mirror that feels easier than 63 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: doing deep art stuff. But here's how I know for 64 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: sure that the problem for all of us is body 65 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: image and not body ready for this, Supermodels struggle, Carrie 66 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: Underwood struggled, Taylor Swift struggled, Like, just do an internet 67 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: search of the celebrity that you think is most beautiful 68 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: and has the best body and would never struggle with 69 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: body image, and you will probably find an article about 70 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: how she has struggled to feel like her body was 71 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 1: good enough. So, friend, follow the logic here. If even 72 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: the women who have the bodies that we wish we 73 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: had struggle, then we have to make the conclusion that 74 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: body image is the problem. Getting that body wouldn't make 75 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: me any happier. In other words, even if you fix 76 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: your body, you might still feel bad about it, because again, 77 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: the problem is body image, not what you actually look like. Now, 78 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: I know that might be a lot to chew on 79 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: for some of you, and others of you are like, yep, 80 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: I've known I had body and I just use forever like 81 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: tell me something I don't know. So here's my question 82 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: for you today. No matter which camp you're in, Oh, 83 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: there's still this heavy temptation to believe the lie. And 84 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: so here's the question. Do you still believe that changing 85 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: your body would fix the way you feel about it? 86 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: It's a hard dream to let go of, but it's 87 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: just not a true friend. The internal stuff doesn't go 88 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: away when the external pounds leave. I've worked with hundreds 89 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: of women who have met their goal weight and still 90 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: didn't feel like it was enough. They actually felt disappointed. 91 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: They wondered if maybe that feeling would come if they 92 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: just lost five more pounds. It was a let down. 93 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: Let's talk about this more in the community. Maybe you've 94 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: experienced this too. How are you tempted to believe that 95 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: changing your body will change how you feel about it? 96 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: Can't wait to see in the community. Let's keep the 97 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: conversation going there. It's been so rich. Bring your questions 98 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: there too. I would love to answer them on the show, 99 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: and you can join us if you haven't yet, at 100 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: Waiting for Weight Loss dot com. I'll see you next time. 101 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: The Compared To podcast is proud to be part of 102 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: the Life Audio podcast network, from where great Christian podcast 103 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: go to lifeaudio dot com.